If you happen to own a yard with grass growing on it, you probably understand the importance of practicing lawn care. From time to time, the grass needs to be trimmed to keep your home neat. One piece of equipment that you can’t go without is a decent lawn mower. In the market, there are two main available types of these devices. Electric and gas-powered. Deciding on which one to get for your lawn maintenance can be quite tricky. Therefore, we have put together some comparisons to see which of the two comes out on top.
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Gas-powered lawn mowers
As the name suggests, these kinds of lawnmowers are powered using gasoline(petrol). This type is pretty traditional as it was invented back in 1921. Since then, it has received numerous modifications to the type of fuel it uses as well as the shape and positioning of the blades to get what is used by people on their lawns today.
Advantages of Gas-Powered Lawn mowers
- The biggest advantage gas-powered lawn mowers have is their ability to cut through tough grass and debris easily. This means that they are suitable for nearly all types of lawn maintenance unlike their electric counterparts
- Gas-powered lawn mowers feature much longer durability than electric ones. They are made to withstand the rigors of heavy duty use without showing signs of wear and tear
- Gas lawn mowers tend to be economical compared to electric lawn mowers. In most cases, gas-powered lawn mowers come with a small price tag that is quite affordable and suits most budgets. Additionally, they do not require much fuel to get the job done. Depending on the engine featured on the lawn mower, it only requires a small amount of gasoline to mow a huge section of land
- Another big advantage of gas lawn mowers is that they are not limited to the distance of use. Since they do not need to be connected to a power source to run or charge on a regular basis, one could go as far as they want without encountering any limitations. If the device stops running, all you have to do is refill the fuel tank, and you are good to go
- These type of lawn mowers help save on time. Due to their ability to cut grass quicker than any other type, they can get the job done faster
Disadvantages of Gas-Powered Lawn mowers
- The bulk of most gas-powered lawn mowers is one of their biggest disadvantages. These type of lawn mowers tend to pack a lot of weight due to the inclusion of an engine. This can make it quite tiresome to use for some users.
- Since they are powered using various types of fuel, gas lawn mowers produce emissions. These emissions are mostly air pollutant gases that cause some level of harm to the air in your home and surroundings. According to research, most gas lawn mowers produce more air pollutants in eleven hours than a new vehicle would run for the same amount of time. This is far more than what is produced by electric powered ones. Therefore, if you are an environment enthusiast, this type may not work for you
- On top of air pollution, gas lawn mowers are notorious noise pollutants. Producing up to ninety-five decibels of noise, these devices can cause quite a disturbance, and in some cases, hearing loss. For this reason, some areas have banned the use of such mowers altogether.
- They require a high level of maintenance. They require regular change of engine oil, cleaning of the blades, and refill with fuel.
Electric lawn mowers
Electric lawn mowers are those that require electrical charging to operate. This kind of lawn mower is modern and has only been on the market for a few years in comparison to the gas-powered lawn mowers. They come in two different types:
- Corded lawn mowers: this kind of electric lawn mowers need to be plugged into a power source to operate.
- Cordless lawn mowers: this type runs on a rechargeable battery, beating the need for it to be connected to a power source constantly.
Advantages of Electric Lawn mowers
- These type of lawn mowers are easy to run. In most cases, all one has to do is push a button to get the device to start. Forget about your lawn mower not starting!
- Since they do not come with spark plugs, engine oil, or fuel to change, electric lawn mowers are pretty easy to maintain. All one does is clean the bottom of the mower after using it and sharpen the blades from time to time. If it is a cordless one, the change of battery can be done every five or seven years, depending on the type.
- These kinds of lawn mowers produce the least noise of all types of lawn mowers. Their noise level can go as high as seventy-five decibels, which is not harmful to one’s hearing
- They do not produce any emissions. Since they use electricity to run, they do not combust.
Disadvantages of Electric Lawn mowers
- Their limitation of use is probably their biggest disadvantage. For the corded electric lawn mowers, they can only mow as far as the cord can reach, making them unsuitable for large lawns. Cordless ones, on the other hand, can only go for so long before having to be recharged
- Corded lawn mowers are a safety hazard: this is because running over the cord could result in electrocution
- Electric lawn mowers may not be ideal for use on wet lawns due to the risk of electrocution
Conclusion
Of the two types, gas-powered lawn mowers emerge on top. This is due to their ability to be used on large lawns and longer running time. However, it is advisable for one to check with the noise regulations of their area to ensure that the use of a gas-powered one won’t be breaking any rules. If there are any in place, then an electric kind is the best option.
